The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-04-05
MORE TROUBLES. y
CAPITAL and Labor at Variance
in Chicago.
CARPENTERS OUT ON STRIKE.
Rules OF Proceeding Promulgated by
the Interstate Commerce
CommissiOn-Ete
More Labor Troubles In Chicago

CHICAGO, April 4-The Consumers
Gas Light and Coke Company has mott
fed it's 500 employees that they must
submit to reduction of so and 20 cents
per day, threatening, it is said, to use
coal oil unless the men comply. The
officials of the company claim to be
able to make fair profit when paying
the present wages of $3.50 and 81 for ten
hours day. They wish the men to
work ten hours day at al advance OF
80 and DO cents. The use of coal oil as
fuel would dispense with $50 to 500 en-
ployees. This afternoon those who are
members of Knights of Labor Assem-
blies 7448 and 6775 met and determined
to insist upon the present scale OF hours
and pay. A committee was appointed
to inform the company of the result OF
the meeting.
SIX thousand FIVE hundred carpenters
employed by various contractors and
shop owners throughout the city and
suburbs will cease work tomorrow
morning and building operations in this
county will be suspended indefinitely.
Leaders of the carpenters, who, after
the long struggle last summer failed to
carry out their demands for eight
hours and an increase of wages,
decided then to renew the contest and
think that now when building enter
prise is reviving and carpenters are
wanted the time has arrived to make
employers yied. Three months ago
the council gave notice to employees
that at the beginning of April the men
would demand 80 cents an hour, eight
hours to constitute days work.
Wages have been averaging % cents.
and the hours have varied between 8
and 10. A conference to arrange a
settlement was formally requested from
the employers, but master carpenters
have to all appearances studiously lg-
nored the whole movement. To day a
mass meeting of carpenters was held
in Battery D armory to discuss the ad-
visibility of a general strike. Over
& 900 men were present. William
KliVer. president of the Chicago Trades
Assembly, presided. 1t was a secret
meeting, every man OF the 5000 haying
to present his carpenters trade card, in
order to gain admission. President
kliver made long speech. Reviewing
the situation he said that the carpenters
were the most abused men in the
building trades. They we're paid the
lowest wages, while their work was as
hard and indispensable as that of brick
layers and maSOns, who earned almost !
double as much. A years ago the car
penters' strike was a failure, simply
because their organization was weak in
and totally lacked funds. Now
they were strong and should right their
wrongs. After a similar speech in Ger
man, a resolution that all work cease
tomorrow unless the demands were
granted, was read. Then arose w. II.
Riley, member # the Knights OF Labor,
District Assembly No. q, of which
for mayor, is master workman. Riley, !
luton, boldly told the 5000 listen
ing men that victory at
Ihe'polls for the labor ticket meant a
victory for the carpenters, and urged |
hem to do their duty. He was en-
applauded. Auditor
Albert Curtin, August Spies successor
as editor of the Arbeiter-ZeitunG, was |
he next speaker. The gist of Gurlin's |
speech was that the carpenters were
FOOLISH if they did not strike when they
had such chance. His German hear
srs, he said addressing them in their
OWN native tongue) should do every
hing in their power to defeat Roche,
he servant of the capitalists and tooi1
Of temperance cranks. The English
speaking portion of the audience
began to grow FESTIVE while
Jurlin was speaking in German,
md cut him short with ieers
and cat calls, though Germans ap-
,lauded vigorously. AT this moment
Paul Grottkau, the Milwaukee Socialist,
at the entrance to the hall |
md applied for admission. He showed
n invitation from the German Union
o address the meeting. When his
resence was made known to the meet
ng a storm of objections arose, the
English speaking element emphaticaily
PROTESTING against any words from him.
he Germans seemed outraged, but de-
ided to avoid discord and Grattkau.
acquiesced. They were
oothed with speech from Secretary
'rennock and a French-Canadian
AIMED Beaudery A motion to strike
7as then put and carried unanimously.
With three cheers for Nelson and the
light hour movement the meeting. ad-
burned. The men understand that
one of them are to resume work until
II employers give n, or the strike as a
hole is declared failure.
CHICAGO, April 4.--Six thousand car
enters are on strike here today, for
ight hours and 35 cents an hour.
bout ninety out of 800 hays acceded
} the demands of the union,